City profile · Delaware · Census ACS 2023

Delaware City, DE

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Delaware City - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,976
Residents
$78,333
Median income
$245,500
Median home
$1,810
Median rent (state)

Delaware City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Delaware City lands in the 60th percentile for household income and the 75th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

60th
percentile, household income
55th
percentile, home value
74th
percentile, median rent
75th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Delaware City, DE

Delaware City is a small town in Delaware, home to 1,976 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Delaware City households earn a median of $78,333 annually, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 7.8%. Typical homes in Delaware City are valued around $245,500, and the median resident age is 40.2 years. About 21.5% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 59.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Delaware City reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR reporting places total crime at 732.2 incidents per 100,000 residents, below the national average (voluntary agency reporting, reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Delaware tracks close to the national cost-of-living baseline: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Delaware at 99.8 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Near Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,810 per month statewide. Monthly utility costs average around $243 across Delaware, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 95.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

1,976 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Delaware

Median Household Income

$78,333 /yr

Poverty 7.8%

Cost of Living Index (state)

99.8 (US=100)

Near Average - BEA RPP 2024, Delaware average

How does Delaware City compare to other US cities?

Delaware City measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 60% higher than other cities
Home value 55% pricier than other cities
Median rent 74% pricier than other cities
Safety 75% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Delaware alone, Delaware City ranks #5 of 31 Delaware cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Delaware City against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Delaware only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Delaware-relative analysis

Median Home Value sits close to the middle of Delaware's city distribution

Among the 77 Delaware cities PlainCities tracks with reported median home value data, Delaware City ranks #57 - the 26th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Delaware City only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#37 of 77
52nd percentile in Delaware
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 79
67th percentile in Delaware
Median Home Value
#57 of 77
26th percentile in Delaware
Poverty Rate
#24 of 79
68th percentile in Delaware
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#57 of 79
28th percentile in Delaware

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Delaware only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

60thIncome percentile
75thSafety percentile

60th percentile nationally for median household income · 75th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Delaware City's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Delaware City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 57 Avg. percentile National median
Delaware City's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Delaware City's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$245,500 45th percentile more affordable than 45% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Delaware City $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Delaware City, DE Delaware City, DE's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Delaware City, DE-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Delaware City, DE median $78,333/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Delaware City, DE's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Delaware City, DE. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 21.5%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 59.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,976
Median Income
$78,333
Median Home Value
$245,500
Median Age
40.2
Poverty Rate
7.8%
Labor force participation
59.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
21.5%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
732.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
156.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
575.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,860 residents1,880 residents1,900 residents1,920 residents1,940 residents1,960 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,882 residents 1,939 residents ▲ +3.0%
Delaware City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
83.5%
Carpool
3.5%
Public Transit
0.6%
Walk
0.7%
Work from Home
11.0%
Other
0.7%

Based on 891 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Delaware - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$115
avg/month
Natural Gas
$80
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$48
avg/month
Total Utilities
$243
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Delaware state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Delaware state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Delaware City sits in

Cost of Living Index
99.8
Near Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,810/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
95.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Delaware

Millville
2,059 people
Cheswold
1,833 people
Greenwood
1,800 people
Wyoming
1,789 people
Woodside East
1,680 people
Lincoln
1,639 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Delaware City's 1,976 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Lake of the Woods, IL
1,976 people
Andrews, NC
1,976 people
Lincoln University, PA
1,976 people
Stanley, VA
1,976 people
Bayou La Batre, AL
1,977 people
Owingsville, KY
1,977 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Delaware City's $78,333 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Cressey, CA
$78,333 median income
Snow Lake, IN
$78,333 median income
Menlo, IA
$78,333 median income
Whitesville, KY
$78,333 median income
Westville, NJ
$78,333 median income
Leicester, NY
$78,333 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Delaware City, DE Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Delaware City, DE - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 75.0% 8.1% 15.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 9.6% White 75.0% Black or African American 8.1% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.6% Two or more races 15.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Delaware City compares to nearby Delaware cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Delaware City (this city) 1,976 $78,333
Millville 2,059 $93,409
Cheswold 1,833 $75,000
Greenwood 1,800 $72,063
Census ACS 5-year FIPS DE FBI UCR OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Delaware City, DE?

What is the population of Delaware City, DE? +

Delaware City, DE has a population of 1,976 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Delaware City, DE? +

Delaware City households earn a median of $78,333 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Delaware City? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Delaware City; the closest available measure is the Delaware state average, a cost of living index of 99.8 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Near Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Delaware vary by metro area.

Is Delaware City, DE safe? +

Delaware City has a total crime rate of 732.2 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Delaware City, DE? +

A typical home in Delaware City is worth $245,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.